Fence or the like

ABSTRACT

A structure of a fence or the like includes plural rails and posts. The intersections of the rails and the posts are fixed by connecting elements. The rail has an inner rail and an outer rail having an opening to cover on the inner rail. Two sides of the outer rail have respectively a ridge projected outwards to keep its inner wall formed as a groove for hiding the connecting elements and enhancing the strength of the rail. Two sides of the inner rail corresponding to the connecting elements are formed as a recess for positioning the connecting elements in them, so that the outer rail is not to be scraped by the connecting elements to damage its coating while mounting the outer rail on the inner rail.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a fence or the like, particularly to one that is able to hide connecting elements employed to fix rails and posts and to enhance its structural strength.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Commonly, a conventional fence or the like is composed of plural rails and plural posts, which are cross-linked and fixed by connecting elements, such as screws, rivets or bolts. The connecting elements are always headed to combine the rails and the posts from the outer side, keeping the he ads of the connecting elements exposed outside the fence to affect the appearance of the fence.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of this invention is to offer a fence or the like

The main characteristics of the invention are plural rails, posts and connecting elements hidden from being seen.

The rail consists of an inner rail and an outer rail having an opening to cover on the inner rail. The outer rail is mounted on the inner rail to keep both of the inner rail and the outer rail engaged. The inner rail is fixed together with the posts by connecting elements. Two sides of the outer rail have respectively a ridge projected outwards to keep its inner wall formed as a restricting groove for hiding the ends of the connecting elements after fixedly combining the inner rail and the posts, achieving a complete appearance of the rail. In addition, the ridges can also enhance the structural strength of the rail. Moreover, two sides of the inner rail corresponding to the connecting elements are formed as concave grooves for positioning the ends of the connecting elements, so that the outer rail is not to be scraped by the connecting elements to damage its coating while mounting the outer rail on the inner rail. The concave grooves can enhance the structural strength of the inner rail as well.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention is better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial exploded perspective view of an upper rail of the first preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded perspective view of a lower rail of the first preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the upper rail of the first preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention, showing an outer rail mounted on an inner rail;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the upper rail of the first preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the lower rail of the first preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of another connecting element of the first preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial exploded perspective view of an upper rail of a second preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a partial exploded perspective view of a lower rail of the second preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the upper rail of the second preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the lower rail of the second preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of another connecting element of the second preferred embodiment of a fence or the like in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a first preferred embodiment of a fence 10 or the like in the present invention is composed of plural rails 20 and posts 30 cross-linked to combine together via connecting a connecting element 40 at each intersection of the rails 20 and the posts 30.

Each of the rails 20 is provided with an inner rail 21 having an opening facing upwards, and an outer rail 22 located above the inner rail 21 and having an opening facing downwards. The outer rail 22 is mounted on the inner rail 21 to keep both of the inner rail 21 and the outer rail 22 fitting with each other tightly. The rail 20 installed above the posts 30 has its inner rail 21 bored with plural penetrating holes 210 corresponding to locations of the posts 30 for the posts 30 to pass through to connect with the outer rail 22. And, the rail 20 installed under the posts 30 has its outer rail 22 set with plural penetrating holes 210 corresponding to locations of the posts 30 for the posts 30 to pass through to connect with the inner rail 21. Correspondingly aligned with each penetrating hole 210, two sides of the inner rail 21 are respectively bored with a connecting hole 211 for the connecting element 40 to pass through to keep the inner rail 21 fixed with the post 30. There are screw holes 212 bored in a bottom of the inner rail 20 at preset locations. Two sides of the outer rail 22 are projected to become ridges 220 corresponding to two ends of the connecting elements 40, keeping the inner walls of the ridges 220 of the outer rail 22 forming a groove 221. Corresponding to each screw hole 212 of the inner rail 21, the inner wall of the outer rail 22 is fixed with a female-threaded base 222 for screwing with a screw 223 passing upward through the screw hole 212 of the inner rail 21, so that the inner rail 21 and the outer rail 22 can be fixed together tightly as shown in FIG. 6.

In assembly the fence 10, the procedures are described as follows.

1. The posts 30 are first put in through the penetrating holes 210 of the rails 20. Next, the connecting elements 40 are inserted into the connecting holes 211 to keep the inner rails 21 fitted fixedly with the posts 30.

2. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, keep the outer rail 22 pressed down to cover on the inner rail 21 until the ends of the connecting elements 40 are restrictively confined in the groove 221 of the outer rail 22. Then, the screw 223 is penetrated into the screw hole 212 from the bottom of the inner rail 21, so as to screw together with the female-threaded base 222 of the outer rail 22 to combine fixedly the inner rail 21 and the outer rail 22 to form the rail 20.

After assembling the fence 10, two ends of the connecting element 40 are hidden inside the outer rail 22 to retain a complete appearance for the rail 20 with other components invisible from outside. Also, the structural strength of the rail 20 is enhanced owing to the installation of the ridges 220. In addition, by means of the mutual engagement of the inner rail 21 and the outer rail 22 and the connection of the screw 223 and the female-threaded base 222, the inner rail 21 and the outer rail 22 are combined together tightly to form the rail 20.

As shown in FIG. 7, the connecting elements 40 can be rivets nailed to connect the posts 30 and the inner rails 21 of the rail 20 to achieve a steady connection.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a second preferred embodiment of a fence 10 or the like in the present invention has same components as the first one does, except that two sides of the inner rail 21 corresponding to the locations of the connecting elements 40 are formed as a recess 213. The connecting holes 211 are located in the recess 213 for the elements 40 to pass through to connect the posts 30 and the inner rails 21, keeping the ends of the connecting elements 40 staying in the recess 213 without extending outside. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a bottom portion of the outer rail 22 is not to be scraped by the ends of the connecting elements 40 to damage its coating while mounting the outer rail 22 on the inner rail 21. The recess 213 can additionally enhance the structural strength of the inner rail 21.

Rivets can also be used as the connecting elements 40 to connect the posts 30 and the inner rails 21 of the rail 20 at one side or two sides.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A fence composed of plural rails and posts intersected mutually to have the intersections horizontally connected fixedly by connecting elements, said fence characterized by: said rails comprising an inner rail having an opening facing upwards and an outer rail covered on said inner rail and having an opening facing downwards and opened wider than a width of the inner rail, two sides of said outer rail respectively provided with a ridge projected outwards, the inner wall of said ridge formed as a groove that is utilized to hide the ends of said connecting elements and to enhance the structural strength of said rail; wherein plural screw holes are bored in a bottom of said inner rail at preset locations, a female-threaded base set at an inner wall of said outer rail for corresponding to each of said screw holes so as to enable a screw to pass through said screw hole to screw together with said female-threaded base for fixing said inner rail and said outer rail; and wherein two sides of said inner rail corresponding to the locations of said connecting elements are formed as a recess that can keep the ends of said connecting elements positioned in the inner rail so that a bottom portion of said outer rail will not be scraped by the ends of said connecting elements so that a coating of the outer rail will not be damaged while mounting said outer rail on said inner rail. 2-3. (canceled) 